Why was Rommel sent to North Africa?

Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel gained immortality in the North African campaign of 1941-1943. Sent with a small German force to help the Axis against the British after the Italians had suffered severe defeat, Rommel–reaching Tripoli in February 1941–was soon master of Cyrenaica and imposing his will on the enemy.

When was Rommel in North Africa?

1941
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel gained immortality in the North African campaign of 1941-1943. Sent with a small German force to help the Axis against the British after the Italians had suffered severe defeat, Rommel–reaching Tripoli in February 1941–was soon master of Cyrenaica and imposing his will on the enemy.

What happened to Erwin Rommel in North Africa?

By then the British and Americans had landed in North Africa, the British Eighth Army had reconquered Tripolitania and was on the Tunisian border, and the Germans were hemmed in, isolated and facing overwhelming odds. Rommel left for Europe in March 1943. The African adventure was over.

What role did Erwin Rommel play in WW2?

German World War II Field Marshal. Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel gained immortality in the North African campaign of 1941-1943. Sent with a small German force to help the Axis against the British after the Italians had suffered severe defeat, Rommel–reaching Tripoli in February 1941–was soon master of Cyrenaica…

Why did Erwin Rommel order the right hook attack?

Messe ordered the right-hook attack. Rommel’s strangely passive behavior may have been largely tied to his health. After two years of almost unceasing battle in the North African desert, he suffered from fainting spells, low blood pressure, rheumatism and heart problems.

How did Rommel’s attack in Egypt catch the Allies unawares?

Rommel’s attack in Egypt caught the Allies unawares  ©General Archibald Wavell, the senior British commander in Egypt, knew – through intercepted and decoded German radio transmissions – just how weak Rommel’s force was when it arrived in Tripoli, and he calculated on having at least a few months to prepare before any German attack.